Technology Spotlight: System Center 2012 Unified Installer, Disaster?

As we have all waited with baited breath, Microsoft System Center 2012 has been released. Now that it has been out for a few months and I have been done both lab and production installs, and our team has done more of the same, it is time to discuss some of these new products. So where better to start than the new and improved installer?

Microsoft writes, “System Center 2012 – Unified Installer is a tool that provides a single-user-interface experience for the installation of [all] seven System Center 2012 components, including all prerequisites and Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Unified Installer provides a means of distributed installation from a central point using the existing component Setup.” Does that sound awesome? You bet.

Now how many people here have heard the old saying that Microsoft only gets things right on the third incarnation? Let’s just say this is not the third incarnation. After speaking with multiple System Center implementers there seems to be a problem. We all are averaging only about 50% success rate in installing the suite with this tool.

So, if you are in a lab environment, give it a try. If you are implementing it without a schedule, give it a try. When this works it is like a dream. When it doesn’t… it is nearly impossible to troubleshoot. So, if it doesn’t, you may have your work cut out for you.

So my take on the System Center 2012 Unified Installer? This product is an unmitigated disaster and an unfulfilled dream. Microsoft, please fix it.

Tech tip:

When importing software into SCCM, check IT Ninja and see if they already researched all the switches for you. You may be able to save days of work in minutes. Just remember, share here when you discover new techniques.